Q&A about St. Stanislaus

The following is the substance of an interview with Msgr. Vernon Gardin, vicar general of the archdiocese.

Did Archbishop Peter Richard Kenrick in 1891 give total control of St. Stanislaus Parish to the lay board?

No. While Archbishop Kenrick did convey the property to the civil corporation of the parish in 1891, he did not transfer control of the parish. When the property was conveyed, the parish corporation was structured so that all directors, including the pastor, were appointed by the Archbishop. The Archbishop also had final decision-making authority for any disagreement among the directors. Giving the lay board total control of the corporation was never a consideration when the board of directors was constituted in 1891.

When did the lay board gain total control of the corporation?

Changes to the corporation's bylaws were made by the lay board in 1981 and 2004. These changes eliminated all relationship of the archbishop of St. Louis to the corporation and were made without the approval of the archbishop.

Was the transfer of the parish to the civil corporation a violation of Church law?

Yes. By the time the corporation was formed in 1891, the Pope had declared that parishes should not be under the control of civil corporations with lay boards of directors. This declaration was not uniformly applied until the adoption of the 1917 Code of Canon Law. By 1951, all parishes of the archdiocese which had this structure were brought into conformity with Church law, except for St. Stanislaus.

Has any other archbishop, prior to Archbishop Raymond Burke, addressed the issue of the non-conforming structure of St. Stanislaus?

Yes. In 1943, then-Archbishop John Glennon requested changes be made to the parish structure to conform to Church law. Then-Archbishop Joseph Ritter in 1954 and again in the mid-1960s requested the necessary steps be taken to change the structure to conform with Church law. In the fall of 2003 then-Archbishop Justin Rigali met with the board of directors and began the current process of bringing the parish into conformity with the more than 200 other parishes of the archdiocese. Archbishop Burke is following through with the process begun by Archbishop Rigali.

Some members of the board of directors have said that the Archbishop's motivation in requiring changes to the parish structure is to gain control of the reported $9 million in parish assets. Can the Archbishop take the money from the parish?

No. The assets of St. Stanislaus are reported to be approximately $1.5 million in cash and securities. Any remaining value of the parish assets lies in the real estate. Under Church law, parish assets may not be taken by an archbishop to be used for any other purpose. Parish funds are deposited in the St. Louis Archdiocesan Fund, which is a charitable trust established under Missouri law. The funds deposited by each parish belong to the parish and are used exclusively for the parish. If St. Stanislaus conforms to Church law, the $1.5 million of cash and securities will be placed in the Archdiocesan Fund and may only be used exclusively for the parish. The Archbishop has offered to place this provision in a written commitment.

Does the Archbishop have plans to close the parish and sell the property?

No. There is no reason to close St. Stanislaus parish; it is an active, vital faith community. As a personal parish it draws its members from beyond its immediate territory. The Archbishop is committed to continuing St. Stanislaus as a personal parish for persons of Polish ethnicity so long as there is an active parish community and support for the parish. The Archbishop has consistently expressed this intent and is also willing to place it in a written commitment.

Why did the Archbishop remove the parish priests from St. Stanislaus parish?

The president of the board of St. Stanislaus sent a letter to the parish priest announcing that all authority would be taken from him. The president suspected financial irregularities, even after an audit had been done which revealed none. The tone of the letter expressed a deep-seated lack of respect and hostility which made the situation intolerable to the point of being abusive, and the parish priest was no longer able to exercise his office. The Archbishop was confronted with a situation which therefore had to be addressed immediately.

Is there any hope of reconciliation?

There is always hope. The parishioners of St. Stanislaus parish are a vital community of faith. They have accomplished a great deal over the years and have been an asset to the neighborhood and the city as well. Many parishioners do not agree with the actions of the board. Although there is a great deal of scandal and test of faith because of misinformation that has been circulated, I hope and pray that a relationship of trust can be established. The Church’s structure of governance accommodates disagreements that occur in the normal course of life.

These questions and answers have been submitted to all parishes for inclusion in their weekly bulletins.